Delegation appeals for Pease to Air National Guard

Wednesday

Mar 6, 2013 at 3:00 PMMar 6, 2013 at 4:34 PM

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter to the recently appointed Director of the Air National Guard, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) along with Representatives Carol Shea-Porter (NH-1) and Annie Kuster (NH-2) expressed continued support for Pease Air National Guard Base and the 157th Air Refueling Wing to receive the KC-46A tanker, states a joint press release issued Wednesday by the delegation.

In January, the Air Force announced that Pease was one of five Air National Guard finalists to receive the KC-46A, which will replace the Eisenhower-era KC-135 tankers. Air Force officials visited Pease in February to begin assessing its competitiveness to receive the new tanker.

“We believe Pease's strategic location, low operating costs, high aircraft utilization rates, as well as its mature active duty association, make it the ideal, cost-effective Air National Guard solution for the KC-46A,” the letter said.

The Air Force is conducting detailed, on-the-ground site surveys of each candidate base to assess each location against operational and training requirements, potential impacts to existing missions, housing, infrastructure, and manpower. In the spring of 2013, the Air Force will select preferred and reasonable alternative locations and begin an Environmental Impact Analysis Process. The selected Air National Guard base will receive aircraft beginning in fiscal year 2018.

Senators Shaheen and Ayotte serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Shea-Porter serves on the House Armed Services Committee.